The Haze
by YunaDax
Summary: This is my first Ratfic (well was when I wrote it) an alternate ending to Rachel's stabbing


From: "Julia Webster" yunadax@dragon.net.au  
  
Title: the Haze  
Author: Julia  
Author's note: hey this is my first fic so be kind! my ideas   
are harebrained and weird so you'll just have to bear with   
me. On a personal note I'm just going to deny that Kaddish   
ever took place, I mean we ALL know that the hero never dies!   
An alternate ending to A Day At The Office written kinda from   
personal experience, I mean waking up from anaesthetic and   
the recovery phase where one gets their bearing. I dunno what   
you lot are going to think.. but please let me know on ways   
to improve my writing!  
Disclaimer: okayokayokay I don't own them.. I'll return them   
to the sandbox  
after I finished!  
  
The Haze.  
  
*Pain. what the hell? God this HURTS!* Rachel Goldstein   
thought. She doubled over, clutching the evil thing   
protruding from her stomach, her knees gave out, sending her   
crashing to the iron walkway below her. She saw a face, then   
heard running steps.  
*Jack?* she thought desperately as the pain intensified. Her   
vision swam and  
Jack's face appeared over hers, yelling something about   
ambulances and backup. Suddenly she was in the air, Jack's   
strong arms wrapped around her, but it didn't stop the pain.  
"David..." she cried desperately, she needed to know he would   
be taken care of, just in case. The pain erupted again.  
*This is the end* she thought *this is it*. More thoughts   
came racing before her mind.   
*Frank, David, Jack* She saw David's gorgeous face before   
her, smiling and waving as she said goodbye to him at school,   
*oh God, what's gonna happen to my baby?* she thought.  
Jack was desperately saying things to her, she heard parts of   
this, but her concentration was on each breath as it became   
harder and harder to draw them in. The pain was tearing her   
apart, the sharp object sliced into her palm as she gripped   
it in an effort to control the agony ripping away from the   
inside. She could see the blackness approaching, it looked so   
inviting, so peaceful and calm, temptation began to overwhelm   
her. She heard a voice again, Jack's.  
"I love you Rachel" the words bounced around her scull, and   
the blackness was pushed away for an instant, then the pain   
returned, screaming at her from inside.  
Each breath was torture, an effort requiring all her energy   
and attention. Time seemed to stand still, then the blackness   
engulfed her.  
  
The blackness receded and a haze of drowsiness seemed to take   
its place.   
*hrm* she thought *am I dead? Is this what its like when   
you're dead?* an annoying presence made itself known in her   
stomach, the pain returned, not as intense, but there was no   
doubt that it was there. *Pain? There isn't any pain when   
you're dead...unless...no..  
I can't...hang on.. I'm alive...I'm ALIVE!* the thought   
mingled with other less interesting thoughts in her drug   
hampered mind.  
As the haze lifted Rachel became more aware of other things,   
cool air on her skin, something sticky attached to her side,   
the pain, voices, someone touching her face, the pain,   
something in her ear, the pain, something on her finger, more   
pain, a pinprick in her arm, then no pain. The haze returned   
and Rachel fought to stay with the sensations she had, she   
concentrated on the voices, trying to distinguish them.  
"Rach, I dunno if you can hear me, but you've gotta come   
back, Tayler's a mess and Jack's lost it completely. He needs   
you Rachel, we all do."   
*hrmmm sounds like Mick* she thought as the haziness receded   
some more. Another voice spoke, this one more familiar,   
more...intimate.  
"Rach, g'day mate. I made it to Brissie, not that that's   
important right now, but I came back as soon as I heard what   
happened. Rach, you gotta do this mate, you gotta fight this   
and come back to us. I promise I'll keep my side of the   
office tidy!"  
*Frank!* she thought *my God he's come back!* she tried to   
move, to open her eyes and see his face again, but nothing   
would move. She felt him take her hand, he continued to   
speak, to tell her where he'd been and all his adventures in   
Brisbane. As he spoke she concentrated on her hand, willing   
her fingers to move slightest bit, just something to let him   
know that she'd be alright. Something must have happened when   
he stopped "this big boobed Brissie girl..."  
He paused.  
"Rach? Rach can you hear me????" She tried to move her   
fingers again and felt her limp hand move the slightest   
amount. He squeezed her hand back in return and called out to   
someone. Moments later there were more people in the room,   
she could feel their eyes on her, their scent in her nose.   
The voices talked about 'coma's and blood loss and other   
medical terms her drug hazed mind couldn't cope with. She   
drifted into the haze again, weary from her efforts with   
Frank.  
The next time she returned from the haze she heard another   
familiar voice, Jack's.  
He was talking about some new Detective they had working with   
them, some young upstart named Alex. A kiss on the forehead   
and he left, leaving her to drift on the haze again. Frank's   
voice came up next, the hand returned, this time stroking her   
hair, brushing it out of her closed eyes. He murmured   
reassuring things to her and rested his hand on her hair. She   
tried out the moving thing, this time it was easier, a   
squeeze in return. *alright, now for the eyes* she thought,   
demanding her mind and muscles to open her eyes to see his   
face again. Brightness assaulted her weak eyes, but she saw   
his outline against the harsh light. She opened her eyes   
again, leaving them open so they could adjust. His face moved   
into view.  
"Hey there sleepyhead" he said, relief evident in his smile.   
His Rachel had come back for him.  
  
  
Finis :)  
hope you liked it!  
  
  



End file.
